The Maroon 12_04_2015 by Loyola Maroon

Loyola University • New Orleans • Volume 94 • Issue 13 • December 4, 2015

THE MAROON FOR A GREATER LOYOLA

the pursuit of education

By Rebeca Trejo rdtrejo@loyno.edu @rtrejo_maroon

It seemed like the blinding yellow flame from the shattered gas lamp had engulfed her bedroom. Maritza Contreras buried her face in her hands as a hot, blistering sensation pinched the nerves on her face. She jolted at first, but then there was nothing. Just silence. She went numb. Upon regaining conscious from the explosion, the 17-year-old Honduran soon discovered third-degree burns that covered her entire face. This unexpected incident set in motion a chain of events that would forever change her life. Contreras later met an American doctor, months after the accident, who worked with a humanitarian organization and promised to help her. “Before I could stop myself to think about the decision I was making at such a young age, or even discuss it with my parents, I snatched three dresses from my closet and threw them inside a tiny suitcase, found a bus and hopped on,” Contreras said. Contreras, a custodian at Loyola University New Orleans, obtained a U.S. visa for medical treatment through the International Hospital for Children, a non-profit pediatric community linking surgical resources to critically ill children in developing countries in Central America to receive cost-free reconstructive surgery in New Orleans. “Going by myself scared me, I didn’t know anybody there and I didn’t know the language. But I knew this was a special opportunity,” Contreras said. “I knew my mother would not have been able to go with me because I was the oldest

child in a family of 10. So I took a chance – a new opportunity in life.” After she arrived in Louisiana, the 17-year-old spent the next three years undergoing extensive reconstructive surgery while living inside home-away-from-home support programs, such as the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Greater New Orleans, which provides housing to seriously ill children. According to Contreras, at 19-years-old, the doctors finished her surgeries and given that she hadn’t faced major difficulties when she previously applied for her medical visa extension, she petitioned to become a green card holder, starting the path to become a permanent resident. She added that even though she longed to see her family, she knew she had to take the opportunity. However, Contreras’ visa renewal experience took an unexpected turn when her application took nine years to arrive. “I became depressed when I saw the days, months and then years passing without any real legal response. But I had no other option but to wait because of my family,” Contreras said. Under those circumstances, Contreras found herself unable to apply for a federal student loan and ultimately dismissed the idea of enrolling in college. Not only was Contreras unable to pursue an education, she could not leave the country, obtain a social security number, apply for governmental health benefits, work under legal employment or even earn a driver’s license. Without her permanent residency, she had to put her education on hold and work low-paying jobs for long hours just to help her family. “Some days I felt like I was living

inside an invisible prison. You can’t really do anything,” Contreras said “After a while you get used to it and start to live under the radar. You keep moving forward because you know that this reality is better than the one back home.” According to the Immigration Policy Center, Contreras is only one out of the 2.2 million young undocumented immigrants who are dealing with this reality everyday. In fact, fewer than 6,500 students without legal status, out of the estimated 65,000 that graduate from high school each year, will go on to attend college, according to the Immigration Policy Center. In contrast, only 5 to 10 percent of undocumented high school graduates go on to college, according to College Board. In 1982, the Supreme Court ruled that the United States is legally required to finance the education of all students in grades K-12, regardless of their immigration status. However, this does not apply to higher education. According to College Board, only 19 states in the country allow undocumented students to pay instate tuition, in most states, they are required to pay out-of-state tuition at public colleges and universities at over 1.4 times the cost of resident tuition. According to a study by RAND, a nonprofit that analyzes data and research, this contributes to the growing 10 percent of students who incorrectly assume they cannot legally attend college in the U.S. Isabel Medina, law professor at Loyola, said there are numerous circumstances affecting this group’s ability to thrive in their surrounding environment.

See CITIZENSHIP, page 4

Wildes to hire chief diversity officer in response to students By Kristen Stewart knstewar@loyno.edu @Kstewart818

Calling for more diversity on campus, Loyola student leaders constructed and presented a petition to the Rev. Kevin Wildes, S.J., university president, detailing their push for change. Monday, Nov. 30, Wildes sent the university a campus-wide email with his plan to address these demands. A petition was sent to the Loyola community in November by a group known as The Black Collegians of LOYNO. The petition called to address the issues that affect the multiculturalism and diversity at Loyola. The petition stated that “the University prides itself on celebrating multiculturalism and having

a diverse student body, yet we are served by faculty and administrators that do not reflect us. And when asked about the lack of diversity among faculty, there is no action plan for improvement nor an explanation about why hiring practices have been so limited.” Among the demands in the petition were to better assist students who need financial aid, mandate classes that revolve around diversity and multiculturalism, and hire a chief diversity officer to conduct fairness and equality among faculty hiring processes as well as among the student body. On Nov. 18, Wildes sent out a Financial Equilibrium Plan to faculty which included a section on diversity and inclusiveness and plans to hire a Chief Diversity Officer. “I have asked our provost and

deans to prepare action plans that include the hiring of a diversity officer to lead the university diversity strategy and establish a committee on diversity,” Wildes said in the document. In an email sent out university-wide on Nov. 30, Wildes went into further detail about these plans, including what to expect with the CDO. “The interim and permanent CDOs will be tasked with creating and implementing programs that will design and lead the strategic plan initiatives to create transformational change, increased diversity, tolerance, inclusivity and belonging on campus, develop targeted hiring processes for faculty of color, provide crucial multicultural training, and monitor and gauge progress through metrics and surveys,”

the email read. Students are able to nominate faculty for the position. In order to qualify, the nominee must be able to create a positive and safe space for students to report acts of discrimination and racism, hear further concerns and demands, and identify as a person of color. Shawn Kelly, co-president of the Black Student Union, and Armani Eady, president of the Living Our Vision Everyday Chapter of the National Association of Colored Women’s Clubs, met with Wildes to present these demands. Kelly said he felt Wildes was very open to their demands. “Overall, I think the experience went really well and I think we had a really productive conversation. I’m hopeful that we will continue to see more of this type of discussion on

campus,” Kelly said. Eady said her meeting with Wildes was a positive experience as well. “He was very receptive and actively engaged in the conversation. He was open to hearing our concerns but more focused on finding resolutions. Since our meeting, his offices have reached out to us and wants to follow up. This is a step in the right direction,” Eady said. “The president’s response to our list of demands made me optimistic about the future of Loyola. Our voices have been heard and our problems have been formerly addressed, now it is time for our administration to act.”

See PETITION, page 12

December 4, 2015

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IN MAGAZ STAFF

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December 4, 2015 The Maroon

Board of Trustees to join discussion on Wildes’ future By Gage Counts rgcounts@loyno.edu @countsingsheep

The University Senate voted to postpone the possible vote of no confidence against the Rev. Kevin Wildes, S.J., university president, at their November meeting. The faculty debated the motion for nearly an hour until the meeting was scheduled to end. The debate resulted in the postponing of the vote to the Senate’s January meeting. According to Jon Altschul, chairman of the University Senate, the vote was postponed to allow communication between the faculty, president and the Board of Trustees. To solve this, the president will attend the December meeting and the Board of Trustees will attend the January meeting. Marc Manganaro, provost and vice president for academic affairs, presented the president’s report on the ongoing financial equilibrium process. Wildes will be presenting the report to the Board of Trustees for their final approval. The report showed that the university did not meet its target of $25 million in savings and investments it announced this April. Instead, the president agreed with $11.5 million in savings and investments that was recommended to him. Also in the report is the announcement of a new initiative called the Strategic Mission on Diversity and Inclusiveness. This initiative will look at how diversity could be more incorporated into the curriculum, the possibility of hiring a diversity officer and having a more diverse faculty. The initiative will be led by the provost and college deans.

Students unite in peaceful protest By Lauren Saizan lesaizan@loyno.edu @Lauren_Maroon

news briefs Students get into the holiday spirit The Department of Student Involvement’s latest Get to NOLA event will take students to City Park for a show of Christmas lights. Celebration in the Oaks features dozens of holiday-themed light displays and Christmas trees decorated by local schools all in the setting of New Orleans’ historic City Park. The 25-acre park will be covered in lights and holiday favorites, including the classic Mr. Bingle and Cajun night before Christmas animated display. The event will go from 6:30-9 p.m. and students are asked to meet in the Carrollton turnaround for departure.

Loyola receives IMPACT grant money Loyola received $18,000 in the area of “Advocacy Support” from the Greater New Orleans foundation IMPACT grant program. The grant program seeks to promote a vibrant and equitable New Orleans by giving nonprofits the means to thrive, and it awards grants up to $1 million to various organizations in the Greater New Orleans area.

Photos Courtesy of Mari Nerbovig

The gate to the School of the Americas is covered with white crosses, which represent “Los Desaparecidos,” the Disapperared (top). Protestors march to remember Los Desaparecidos (middle) with some dressed in black as mourners (bottom). Loyola students travelled to the School of the Americas Watch to protest SOA, which trains Latin Americans in guerilla warfare.

As Mari Nerbovig participated in the School of the Americas Watch, a weekend-long event, her constant view was a sea of white crosses. “It’s a heart-wrenching story, the tales of all of these immigrants who have lost their homes, families, and even their lives, but the community behind the movement holds this unwavering love that they use to change the world,” Nerbovig said. At the School of the Americas Watch from Nov. 20 to 22, a group of Loyola students travelled to Columbus, Ohio and Fort Benning, Georgia to participate. The crosses, which represented “Los Desaparecidos,” The Disappeared, were held while Nerbovig, music therapy and psychology sophomore, and others marched in peaceful protest regarding immigration. Nerbovig said that the weekend was filled with activities and information sessions dealing with different issues on immigration in addition to the protests. She said that the first protest took place at Stewart Detention Center and featured speakers who had been detained at the center. “We took a moment, as a group of about 1,400, to scream and cheer as loud as we could so the people in-

side of the center could hear us. The people inside have gone on hunger strikes to protest their miserable living situation, and many live in solitary confinement. As a group, we wanted them to hear us, and know that there are people who care about them and their plight,” Nerbovig said. During the second protest, in Fort Benning, Nerbovig joined the other protestors in picking up white crosses in honor of “Los Desaparecidos.” The names and ages of “Los Desaparecidos” were then sung out, an experience that Nerbovig recounts as being incredibly moving. “At the end of the march, we placed all of the crosses on the gates to Fort Benning where they laid over the ‘U.S. Property, No Trespassing’ signs that lined the fence. This is the sentiment that cost these immigrants their lives; they tried to flee the political persecution they face in their country, but the U.S., the place which caused their political turmoil, refused them entry,” Nerbovig said. Nerbovig said that the movement was an incredible and enlightening experience. “Both of these moments are amazing examples of peaceful protest. They demonstrate unity and the passion of this movement to make change, peacefully,” Nerbovig said.

Faculty postpone vote against Wildes to January By Kristen Stewart knstewar@loyno.edu @Kstewart818

While the vote of no confidence regarding the Rev. Kevin Wildes, S.J., university president, has been postponed to January, the discussion on university leadership has just begun. The motion of no confidence, raised by Joelle Underwood, associate professor of chemistry, acknowledged events and decisions that have negatively impacted the university during Wildes’ time as president over a 10-year time span. “For years behind the scenes, faculty have been expressing concerns

about the leadership. I started the motion to address those concerns,” Underwood said. The motion was originally scheduled to be voted on Nov. 19; however, it has been moved to Jan. 21. According to Jon Altschul, chairman of the University Senate, the vote was postponed in order to hear from Wildes as well as the Board of Trustees before coming to a final decision. “One of the reasons for the postponement was to allow faculty more time to review the President’s plan for a sustainable, viable and productive Loyola,” Altschul said. “The faculty do not want to do anything that might impede the university’s

effort to overcome its current financial challenges, and the wisdom of the group in November was that it should not rush to make a judgment on what is such an important university matter.” Underwood said that she was prepared to vote at the November senate meeting. “I was ready to vote when the vote of no confidence came forward. But I understand the need of my colleagues to consider this with more time, and I respect that decision,” Underwood said. A criticism of the motion is that it focuses too much on the past and not so much on recent concerns, but Underwood believes that the

university needs to acknowledge these past events and how they affect the university today. “The point of the motion is to show a failure in leadership. It focuses on the historical incidents that occurred under his leadership. Those events leading up to today made the university weaker,” Underwood said. “There has been a significant turnover in the Board of Trustees and faculty members over the past 10 years. It was important to me to have the newer members be aware of the historical events and Fr. Wildes’ role in them.”

See WILDES, page 12

WORLDVIEW

New Orleans takes care in providing safe water

RODRIANA EDWARDS / The Maroon

Julia Maples, music industry studies senior, refills her water bottle before ballet class in Rousell Hall. News Orleans has a history of problems with the water quality, resulting in multiple boil water advisories.

By Raymond Price rlprice@loyno.edu @Raymond__Price

New Orleans recently issued its 10th boil water advisory in a fiveyear span, but for Joshua Hughes, he’s still cautious about the water. “I’ll still think twice about what I’m drinking. They tell you that your water is purified, but then they tell you that you have to boil it,” Hughes said. Despite the common advisories, the Sewerage and Water Board takes the water purification process seriously when it comes to providing the public with safe drinking water. When the city’s water supply is drawn from the Mississippi River, it gets filtered and tested for con-

taminants such as arsenic, lead, nitrate, nitrogen and cryptosporidium, a bacteria that causes diarrhea. Officials at the Sewerage and Water Board’s processing plants work around the clock to ensure that nothing unsafe goes into the tap water. Cryptosporidium has only been detected in the city’s water supply three times twice in 1998 and once in March of 2014. The levels of the bacteria were so low that the chlorine added during the disinfection process killed all traces of it. The arsenic and nitrate levels were both below the maximum Environmental Protection Agency allowed level. According to the city’s quality water report, S&WB adds lime and chloramine to provide corrosion

control, stabilization and to disinfectant the raw water. They also add fluoride to the water to prevent tooth decay. Robert Jackson, S&WB community relations director, said that the city is doing all that it can to guarantee safe and beneficial drinking water to its citizens. “No lead is present in the treated water leaving the plants, but older homes or newly renovated homes may experience higher lead levels than others,” Jackson said. Jackson guarantees that if dangerous contaminants are present in the water, the public would be immediately notified. Traces of prescription drugs have been found in the public water supply.

New Orleans water department officials said the city’s water had not been tested for pharmaceuticals, but in a 2008 NBC news report, former Tulane University professor Greg Boyd found pain reliever, sex hormone and anti-cholesterol drug in treated drinking water. Independent researcher found pharmaceuticals in the city’s water, Robert Thomas, director for the center of environmental communication at Loyola, said that finding medical drugs in a municipal water source is typical. “The drugs are in the body already,” Thomas said. “The presence of these prescription drugs in the city’s water are concerning, but they are not threatening; at least no studies have said they are.” The water system is out of date. Ten years after Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans is still negotiating with the Federal Emergency Management Agency to get more than $1 billion to fix the damage that the levee breach did to the city’s water system. In the past year, there have been boil water advisories in Gretna, Slidell, Madisonville and St. John the Baptist Parish. St. Bernard and Terrebonne Parishes have even found deadly brain-eating amoebas in their water. As a consolation prize and testament to the water quality, in 1984, New Orleans was voted for having the best tasting tap water against 40 other cities by the American Water Works Association.

December 4, 2015 The Maroon

WORLDVIEW briefs 14 people killed in San Bernardino shooting Three people in San Bernardino, California killed 14 people and injured 17 at a conference center at the Inland Regional Center. According to police, two men and one woman came prepared with either shotguns or assault rifles. Four adults were transported to Loma Linda Medical Center to care for their injuries. President Obama has restated his gun control plea for a bipartisan bill to put up stricter background checks. The police said that two suspects have been killed and a third one is on the run.

Louisiana ranks 47 in heathcare concerns A new report from the Mental Health Association shows that Louisiana has the highest amount of people living with mental illness and the lowest access to care. Louisiana was ranked 47th in the survey ahead of Washington, Nevada, Mississippi and Arizona. The report comes after the Jindal administration created a new plan to address the state’s behavioral health services. The plan will be covered by five insurance companies provided by the state. Gov.-elect John Bel Edwards will continue with Jindal’s plan and will work to improve access for low-income working adults.

The Associated Press contributed to these reports.

Continued: Immigrants seek higher education in U.S. CITIZENSHIP, continued from front page The main reason lies in the fact that most undocumented students who would actually be ready for college don’t apply because it is not economically possible and most fear deportation. She added that most are unaware of their options, such as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals – policy that allows temporary permission to stay if they meet certain criteria, such as residing in the U.S. since June 15, 2007 – and ultimately often graduate and resort to low scale or un-scaled jobs because they don’t understand the financial process. “Some states explicitly allow undocumented students to attend college, but there are many unknown aspects that are unknown to them, such as the college admissions, financial aids and enrollment processes,” Medina said. “We profess to value the youth as a society, sadly for the United States, they are not the highest funding priority.” Medina, who teaches constitutional and immigration law, said the immigration reform has not successfully address the needs of young undocumented immigrants in the DREAM Act, and that in general, states aren’t spending enough money to develop an efficient education system. She added that in order for this group to integrate successfully into society, the government has to give them support in a solid education, which will aide in decreasing their chances of working in the un-

derground market where the possibility of exploitation is higher. “Even though the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals provides new opportunities,” Medina said. “There is still no specific process for many undocumented students to legalize their immigration status.” She said that there has been a political failure in Congress because of continuous refusal to adapt any meaningful reform having to do with the DREAM Act – a policy that would allow certain young immigrants to apply for temporary legal status in order to obtain permanent legal status, becoming applicable for citizenship if they go to college or serve in the U.S. military – even though the Bureau of Labor Statistics numbers displays that there is a growing necessity for educated workers. She added that the current status of the dreamer type reform has been put on hold due to litigation brought in by organizations and political parties inside the country. According to a study released by The Pew Hispanic Center, only 61 percent of undocumented students who arrive in the U.S. before the age of 14 go onto college, which is considerably lower than the rate for legal permanent residents who account for 76 percent or U.S.-born residents who make up 71 percent. According to Jessica Vaughan, policy studies director at the Center for Immigration Studies, one of the most significant barriers young undocumented immigrants face, besides factual legal inclusion, is that

these groups experience poverty at twice the rate of students with native-born parents. She said that, in addition, there is a high percentage of parents who also tend to lack the education and skills needed to become self-sufficient in the United States, making it unlikely that their families can afford the rising costs of tuition without access to federal grants and loans. “It’s hard to generalize about this, but certainly census data shows that many are living in low income households,” Vaughn said. “However, our research shows that 51 percent of immigrant-headed households are qualifying for welfare programs.” Vaughan, who educates policymakers and opinion leaders on immigration issues, said that current immigration policies are in effect flooding the markets because they depress the wages and reduce opportunities for everyone. In a study released in 2013 by Educators for Higher Education, nearly 30 percent of undocumented children live below the poverty line. “It would help if immigration levels were moderated so that there are adequate educational and job opportunities for all, opportunities that offer them chance to become self-sufficient and advance their circumstances,” Vaughan said. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, workers without a high school diploma in 2008 earned an average of $453 a week and had an unemployment rate of 9 percent,

as opposed to workers who had a bachelor’s degree, who earned an average of $1,012 per week with an unemployment rate of 2.8 percent. Vaughan said she believes that immigration policies should be designed to serve the broad national interest of proponents of immigration enforcement and expansion. In order for that to happen the number of immigrants allowed to stay in the country must be accepted and immigration levels need to be significantly reduce to avoid further adverse effects on the economy. “Being undocumented means students do not have the same economic, social, and educational opportunities as many of their peers.” Vaughn said. “That’s is like a cruel joke.” According to Wendy Young, president of Kids in Need of Defense also known as KIND, the undocumented immigrant youth in the United States faces a critical service gap when it comes to exercising their rights, specifically when it comes to the due process. She added that the process is unfair to the youth coming in because they usually don’t know what options are available for them to stay in the country. “Integration programs are key,” Young said. “We must develop a fundamentally fair system that provides a pathway to citizenship and true access to the protections our country has to offer, and includes real due process and a chance to live in safety and free from fear of deportation.”

Steps to become a U.S. citizen through naturalization Step ONE Meet certain eligibility requirements

step TWO Be a legal permanent resident of the United States

step THREE Go through the naturalization process

step FOUR Take the U.S. naturalization test

According to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Young, who served as chief counsel on Immigration Policy in the Senate, said she believes immigration supports the U.S. economy and that the nation needs immigrants to thrive. And while every student has a right to a K-12 education, the future of the U.S. economy requires more college graduates. “The immigrant youth is this country’s future,” Young said. “It is in our best interests as a nation, and in line with our country’s values, that they should grow up to be healthy, productive members of our society.” Contreras said she hopes that, after living in the United States for 19 years, she will be able to gain full legal status when she passes her final citizenship exam. “To be able to stop trying to fit in and finally feel like I belong,” Contreras said.

THE MAROON

November 20, 2015

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Life & Times

More than Music

December 4, 2015 THE MAROON

One Loyola musician challenges women’s role in popular music with her new project

By Zach Brien zjbrien@loyno.edu @zbrienphoto

A Loyola student has released a new album whose material goes beyond the music itself. Abby Diamond, vocalist and music industry studies senior, released the first single off her album, “Feminista,” in October. The content will be released episodically, with one song coming out every 10 months. According to Diamond, she wants her music to reach out to women, female artists and musicians in many different ways. When the whole album comes out, Diamond said she would like to collaborate with other female artists to create feminist art books. “We’re going to release the CD inside the front cover of feminist art books that I’m creating with other feminist musicians and artists and creative fans that submit work to us,” Diamond said. “They are reminiscent of the feminist fan zines in the early 90s.” Diamond said she wants to emulate these publications because they represent a turning point in feminist ideology, third-wave feminism, which appeared in tandem with popular female punk bands. Those punk bands and third-wave feminism play an influential role in Diamond as a performer. “It was the beginning of this age of feminism where women could be just exactly who they were. Feminism no longer meant you had to not shave your legs or you had to hate men,” Diamond said. According to April Prince, professor of music history, female punk bands did wonders for women in music. They made a concerted effort to have women involved, and how they organized their shows and their open dialogue were revolutionary in a business dominated by men. “They sort of made an appeal to everybody at the concerts to let women come up front,” Prince said. “You could also say the subject matter, they were really willing to talk about anything.” The openness and boldness is what Diamond said she likes most

about incorporating feminist worldviews into her music. “It’s always enthralling to me to see how we can, we as feminist musicians can alter someone’s day a little bit. Get them to do a double take and rethink something maybe about the way that they see women,” Diamond said. According to Diamond, this bold delivery of the feminist message is necessary in a business dominated by men and that female musicians have had their fair share of experiences with the gender norms and expectations in music. Lydia Kolda, music industry studies senior and guitarist and lead singer of Squirrel Queen, has been playing music since she was young. She first experienced these gender expectations when she was 11-years-old and playing drums in a Christian rock band. “So, I was rocking out and having an awesome time and then afterwards somebody was like ‘Lydia, you should be the singer.’ I was like, ‘Aw thank you. You think I’m a good singer?’ He was like ‘No, you should be the singer because the girl should be the singer,’” Kolda said. According to Prince, these expectations have deep roots within the industry, primarily on how female musicians have been marketed throughout time. This makes the industry difficult for female musicians to navigate without succumbing to these expectations. “Is there a way forward if women aren’t constantly being boxed in by beauty norms, for example, or sexuality?” Prince said. One of Diamond’s main objectives with “Feminista” was to highlight fellow female performers and challenge these expectations. Diamond has already held one such concert featuring herself, Kolda, vocalist Honey Savage and spoken word artist, Charity Mack. “Where are all the female musicians? We are the female musicians and so we’re putting on this female-fronted concert series in New Orleans,” Diamond said. “I think that’s a large part of what I want to do with this album. Create more awareness for female musicians in New Orleans.”

ZACH BRIEN / The Maroon

Abby Diamond (top), music industry studies senior, performs at Gasa Gasa in the first installment of the Feminista concert series. Lydia Kolda (bottom left), music industry studies senior, sings with her band Squirrel Queen at the Feminista show. Honey Savage (bottom right) performs with her band. The show, which featured three other female performers, was intended to highlight female musicians in New Orleans.

Nikki’s Blankets covers the homeless in New Orleans By Taylor Galmiche atgalmic@loyno.edu @galmichekapeesh

TAYLOR GALMICHE / The Maroon

Loyola students write letters to the homeless at “Covering the Needy” in the Peace Quad on Nov. 12. The event raised money to provide blankets for homeless New Orleanians.

New Orleans is finally catching up to sweater weather, but not everyone is excited about the cold days to come. In fact, cold weather threatens those surviving on the streets. Dan Fowler, music industry studies sophomore, is chartering the non-profit Nikki’s Blankets NOLA, which exists to provide blankets for the homeless community. Nikki’s Blankets started with Fowler’s 8-year-old cousin, Nikki Kingsland, in Tampa, Florida. Kingsland saw a video about the challenges of being homeless in her second grade classroom. She saw

that no shelter meant no warmth during the cold season. That winter she asked Santa for blankets, laying the groundwork for her non-profit organization. Over the past six years, Nikki’s Blankets has distributed over 15,000 blankets in the central Florida community. On Nov. 12, Nikki’s Blankets NOLA sold Raising Cane’s in the Peace Quad. Students could redeem a box of Cane’s with a blanket or $5. The event, “Covering the Needy,” raised $376 to buy blankets. “I am so overjoyed at the support that the Loyola community has given me,” Fowler said. The Residence Hall Association provided Raising Cane’s for the event.

Kori Jack, a member of RHA, said that he was glad that Nikki’s Blanket NOLA is getting more awareness on campus. “It was the charity we didn’t mind helping out. It started with the boxes in the halls, then it became something bigger,” Jack said. The event brought attention to Nikki’s Blankets NOLA and its future goals. So far, they have collected over 350 blankets. Some of the blankets will be distributed at the New Orleans Mission on Dec. 5. Blankets will also go to Syrian refugees through Catholic Charities and other local ministries. Nikki’s Blankets NOLA will continue to accept blanket donations in labeled boxes in the residence halls.

THE W RKS

December 4, 2015 THE MAROON

The Maroon's section of student art. Contribute at letter@loyno.edu

PHOTOGRAPHY

POETRY

Original photos taken by Loyola students

Original poems written by Loyola students

“Serenity”

“Fishing”

“Hello...it’s me”

I didn’t jump off the ledge. I stepped into the air And pitched a line, Fishing for concrete. I caught it. They found me grinning As if fishhooks tugged at the corners of my mouth. There’s 7 billion 46 million people on the planet And most of us have the audacity to think we matter.

“Serenity” Naasha Dotiwala, political science junior

“Fishing” Katelyn Aquilo, English literature senior

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“Hello...it’s me” Rebeca Trejo, mass communication senior

RELIGION

Loyola is set to kick off annual Christmas concert

War, Miracles and Oil

By Sidney Holmes

RELIGION BRIEF St. Nick is coming to town Celerated by millions of Christians around the world, St. Nicholas Day will take place on Dec. 6.

RELIGION BRIEFS Bush says christian refugees deserve special consideration WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) — Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush says the U.S. should be more open to admitting Christian refugees from Iraq and Syria because of the persecution they face. At a town hall meeting in Iowa Tuesday, Bush said Christians in areas controlled by the Islamic State group face rape, slavery and beheading, and even those who escape to refugee camps are often persecuted by the majority of refugees who are Muslim. Bush said there’s nothing un-American about considering the religion of refugees seeking asylum in the United States, noting that religious persecution is one of the factors listed for consideration under U.S. law.

smholmes@loyno.edu @sidneymajee

The College of Music and Fine Arts is continuing a tradition that has been going on for over 23 years, with its annual Christmas at Loyola concert. Christmas at Loyola is a free event put on by the CMFA that takes place on the first Sunday of December in the Holy Name of Jesus Church. Meg Frazier, associate professor of the CFMA, said that Christmas at Loyola marks the beginning of the holiday season for the community. Victoria Vega, associate dean of the CMFA, said that the program showcases a range of powerful performances from musical groups at Loyola, and it incorporates all aspects of the CMFA. “The concert features the Loyola choirs, chamber orchestra, brass ensemble, jazz band, and university organist Dr. Marcus St. Julien in an hour of seasonal music,” Frazier said. The event has always been standing room. Vega said Christmas at Loyola is an event that the nearby community anticipates every year. Along with the performances that the CMFA puts on, Frazier said there are also audience sing-alongs to familiar carols. The Loyola University Chorus is giving one of the featured performances. Frazier said that the over 150-person choir will sing from within the audience. “It will be quite thrilling for the audience to hear our fine singers up close,” Frazier said. Frazier said the performers have been practicing for this event since mid-October. Tori Lambert, music education sophomore, is performing with Loyola Chamber Orchestra and the Loyola University Chorus. This is her first time performing in Christmas at Loyola. She said she enjoyed the process of preparing for this show. “There is a lot of excitement in the school of music surrounding the event, and both of my ensembles are working on some really beautiful pieces of music,” Lambert said. Lambert said that students go to the program to get into the mood for the holiday season. “It’s just such a great way to end the semester with the whole school coming and getting in the holiday spirit together,” Lambert said. Vega said that Christmas at Loyola is a fun occasion for the people of all ages. “As a musician, vocalist, instrumentalist, and Christian, it has always been a special time for my family. I bring three generations to this event myself,” Vega said. Frazier said the event only lasts for about an hour and 15 minutes, and she said that it is a good opportunity for students to take out some time to gather and support each other while preparing for the holidays.

December 4, 2015 THE MAROON

Clinton commemorates historic boycott, says US must address injustice

Rodriana Edwards and Mary Graci/ The Maroon

Madelyn Fireman, an administrative assistant at the Temple Sinai, lights a menorah owned by the cantor, Joel Colman (top right). The Temple Sinai, a Jewish synagogue, is located at the corner of Calhoun street and St. Charles Avenue (bottom). Hanukkah, a Jewish holiday, begins Sunday, Dec. 6 with the first lighting of the menorah (top left).

The tradition of Hanukkah can be traced back to tales of war, miracles and oil By Lawson Box lhbox@loyno.edu @Boxlhbox

While Hanukkah and Christmas are both religious occasions that involve family, fun and presents, the Festival of Lights has its origins in war, miracles and oil. For each of the eight nights of Hanukkah, set to begin on Dec. 6, Jewish families gather to light a candle on the menorah, exchange gifts and eat foods fried in oil. The origins of these traditions date back to around 175 BC when the Maccabean Jews recaptured Jerusalem after being exiled by the Seleucid Empire. While this victory was considered miraculous, as the Maccabees were greatly outnumbered, the subsequent rededication of the desecrated Second Temple of Jerusalem would lead to the miracle of the oil. Rabbi Robert Loewy, instructor of religious studies, said there is a

great legend associated with Hanukkah. “When the Maccabean group came back in to rededicate the temple, part of the symbolism was the menorah that was fueled with a special olive oil. They only had a little bit of oil but low and behold, miracle of miracles, the oil lasted eight days. Thus the story of Hanukkah lasting eight days,” Loewy said. Today, most menorahs use candles rather than oil. So to commemorate the oil-based miracle, people eat oil-based foods such as potato pancakes, known as latkes, and jelly donuts called sufganiyots. For Andrea Levine, director of Jewish programming and curriculum at Tulane Hillel, this is one of the best parts of Hanukkah. “I pull out my food processor once a year and make mean latkes,” Levine said. For Naomi Yavneh, the director of the Loyola honors program, the latkes are a way of remembering her beloved grandmother. “For me, the holiday is really connected with memories of my grandmother and my father whose latke recipe I perpetuate. I love the

fact that it’s a family time and it’s dark and you light these candles. It’s a time to enjoy each other’s company and play silly games,” Yavneh said. Loewy added that some people consider Hanukkah as the Jewish equivalent of Christmas, however, that is not the case. “This misconception of Hanukkah as the Jewish Christmas is the result of the fact that the two holidays often fall at a similar time period. On the scale of significant Jewish holidays, Hanukah is way down on the scale. It’s not like Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, or Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. It’s not even like Sukkot, the feast of Tabernacles. All of those are based in the Torah,” Loewy said. Hanukkah and Christmas do still share one major thing in common: it is a cherished and joyous time of year that brings family and friends together. “I kind of love that it’s around the same time of year as Hanukkah. Just the general holiday cheer. That’s one thing Hanukkah shares with Christmas, is this general holiday cheer,” Levine said.

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Standing in the Alabama pulpit where the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. led the historic Montgomery bus boycott, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has told black voters that the U.S. is still plagued by injustice. She charged that blacks today suffer from attempts to roll back voting rights, from an epidemic of gun violence and from mass incarceration. Clinton’s speech Tuesday at the Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church fell on the anniversary of Rosa Parks’ Dec. 1, 1955, arrest for refusing to give her bus seat to a white passenger.. Parks’ arrest sparked the 381-day boycott of Montgomery buses by blacks to protest segregated seating. A crowd filled the church ahead of Clinton’s speech. A line stretched down the block for the limited seating in the historic church that holds 350 people. The Rev. Bernice King gave Tuesday’s benediction at the church where her father preached his Sunday sermons from 1954 to 1960.

Trump meets with black pastors at Trump Tower NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump says his New York meeting at Trump tower with a group of black pastors was “amazing” and resulted in “lots of good ideas.” But there was no group endorsement as the campaign had signaled last week. The meeting was organized with the help of Cleveland Heights, Ohio, pastor Darrell Scott, who heads New Spirit Revival Center. Scott, a Trump supporter, says more than 100 pastors had what he called “a wonderful time.” But both Scott and Trump declined to say how many plan to make endorsements. Scott said some had “to go pray about it.” Some of the ministers, who have been criticized for attending the meet-and-greet, said they were surprised when it was billed as a Trump endorsement. Trump has drawn criticism recently for retweeting an image of inaccurate statistics that vastly overrepresented the number of whites killed by blacks, among other errors. Scott blames the “liberal media” for depicting Trump in a way that he knows not to be true.

SPORTS

December 4, 2015 The Maroon

Sports briefs Men’s Basketball team loses to University of Louisiana-Lafeyette The Loyola Wolf Pack traveled to Lafayette on Nov. 26 to face off against the University of Louisiana-Lafeyette’s Ragin’ Cajuns. The Wolf Pack forced turnovers and were aggressive at the rim, but were unable to overcome the size and efficient shooting of the Ragin’ Cajuns, falling 106-62 in the exhibition game. The Wolf Pack struggled to shoot the ball for the second straight game. They finished the game 23of-76 (30.3 percent) and 3-of-21 (14.3 percent) from behind the arc. They were outscored in the paint 48-28 and out rebounded 52-42, but they outscored the Ragin’ Cajuns 16-11 on second chance points. Junior forward Johnny Griffin Jr. continued his streak of scoring with at least 14 points and six rebounds by putting up 21 points and grabbing six boards. Sophomore center Nate Pierre and junior guard Jalen Gray added 10 points, respectively, for Loyola. The Wolf Pack get back into action on Dec. 5 as they take on Nicholls State University on the road.

Courtesy of Father Ted Dziak

The baseball team huddles after a midday practice at Miracle League Field. In spite of playing through a series of injuries last season, the team is looking to bounce back with a handful of recruits and much needed energy for the 2016 Spring season.

Baseball team brings a spark to 2016 By Nick Ducote naducote@loyno.edu @naducote89

This season, the Loyola baseball team looks to cash in on the past three years of recruiting. Doug Faust, head coach, and the Pack suffered major injuries throughout last season and were hurting when it came down to the depth of players on the roster. This year’s team has a larger roster and is expecting competition on the field and in the dugout. The Pack lost their starting short stop for the year last season, and lost two of their pitchers to injuries. The lack of depth and competition on the team made it hard for them

to get in the win column at times. Coach Faust said the team got “exposed” at times due to the predicaments of their strenuous season. The score was close in some games, but they couldn’t win them all. “Last year a couple guys got hurt, and we had young guys who weren’t ready to step in. The recruiting classes we’ve had for the past three years can give us some depth now. It’s not going to be a drastic blow to the team if someone gets hurt. We also have pretty good players pushing each other to play better, and some good competition at different positions,” Faust said. This year, Faust recruited eight freshman to the baseball team, and

five of them are pitchers. The young pitchers won’t be seeing too much starting time, but will be getting their feet wet throughout the season. The seniors on this team are seeing what patience from last season has done for them. There’s a different vibe going on in their practices, according to Joel Buhler, English senior. There’s still weeks before the season begins, but he said the team is ready. “Out of my four years that I’ve been at Loyola, this is the best team we’ve ever had. The pitching is the deepest we’ve ever had. The power and velocity on the ball from even the younger players on this team is great, we’re looking good,”

Buhler said. The freshman are still getting use to workouts and the speed of the game, but the conditioning is already paying off, especially for Jesse Jordan, economics freshman. Like any sport at the collegiate level, the younger players have a small window to get prepared for the season. “I feel like I’ve gotten a lot stronger, and in more baseball shape. I feel a lot more explosive running the bases, I don’t feel winded, and I don’t feel any kinks with my body. It’s not just me, I can sense that the older guys have a good feeling that this is looking like a good year,” Jordan said.

Loyola pep band takes over the Den this season By Ryan Micklin rwmickli@loyno.edu @ryanmicklin61

The cheering and screaming of a packed house won’t be the only noise coming from the Den this season. On Nov. 19th, students from the Loyola Music Department started a pep band which will perform for every home basketball game this year. Jason LaHatte, biology freshman, is optimistic about the 23-man band but he is unsure of how successful it will be with the student body. “We probably will have the student’s support just because we have so many good musicians here. The fans should love it just because I don’t think we have had a pep band here for a while,” LaHatte said.

LaHatte is also a member of Tulane’s pep band the, Soundwave. According to LaHatte, it was during one of the home games that he was first presented with the idea of creating a pep band for Loyola. From the start, he was interested in the idea and is now looking to incorporate multiple instruments to this year’s pep band. “I basically open it up to anyone who plays instruments. Mostly we just have regular band instruments so far, but we do have one guy who will be playing the electric guitar,” LaHatte said. One of the driving forces behind the creation of the new band is Kenneth Weber, University Minister. “I thought it would make more sense for Loyola students who wanted to play in a pep band to play in

one at Loyola instead of having to join Tulane’s,” Weber said. According to Weber, the band has already gotten off to a good start due to the fact that it has played in a home game. He also said that this presents a great opportunity for students at the university. “This is a completely voluntary band, so the students who play in it really love doing it, and it’s a great service to the Loyola community,” Weber said. In order to make the idea of the Loyola pep band a reality, LaHatte said that he had to consult Heather Seaman, director of Student Involvement. Seaman said that it is encouraging for students to take the initiative and start their own programs. “Students have come to us in

overwhelming numbers this semester to pitch new ideas. We really don’t solicit new organization ideas out to students. It’s typically the other way. If students have mutual interests with other students, they will typically propose those organizations to the campus,” Seaman said. Seaman said she is always supportive of the development of new organizations because it gives the students a variety of options to get involved. “I think student organizations are absolutely integral to student involvement on campus,” Seaman said. The band will also look to perform outside of the Loyola community. They hope to play in the Krewe of Tucks, a parade run by Loyola alumni.

Women’s basketball gets third straight win against Concordia College The No. 13 ranked women’s Basketball team welcomed Concordia College (Ala.) to The Den on Friday for a post-Thanksgiving matchup. Powered by three players in double-figures, the Wolf Pack downed the Lady Hornets 67-58 to earn their third-straight victory. The fourth quarter saw the Lady Hornets cut the deficit to five, 54-49, with just over six minutes to play. Loyola held tough for the final minutes and kept Concordia from getting any closer en route to the 67-58 victory at home. Loyola shot 21-of-60 (35 percent) from the floor and 7-of-12 (58 percent) from beyond the arc. Senior guard Briana Oglesby finished with a team high 17 points on just 4-of-11 shooting. Junior forward Meghan Temple pitched in with 13 points and a team-high 9 rebounds, while senior Adrianne Sloboh put up six points and seven rebounds in the victory. Loyola improved to 5-2 overall and 4-0 at home following the win. Loyola returns to The Den on Dec. 5 as they host Dillard University for a game set to tip off at 12:30 p.m.

LSU’s victory over Texas A&M helps retain Les Miles’ coaching position The Tigers were in control for most of the game and it was the LSU defense that helped seal the deal as they shutout the A&M offense in the second half. With the victory, the team will finish the regular season at (8-3, 5-3 SEC). LSU will also regain a position inside the top 25 as they are now ranked at #23. Two weeks worth of talk over the fate of Les Miles’ job was finally put to rest after LSU’s 19-7 victory over Texas A&M. After the game, Joe Alleva, LSU athletic director, said the season is complete and wants to make it very clear that Les Miles will continue to be the football coach to lead the program.

EDITORIAL

HOWLS & GROWLS HOWL to course evaluations so we can anonymously tell our professors what we think of their courses

December 4, 2015 THE MAROON

PETITIONING AGAINST STUDENT UNREST

GROWL to coming back to the OR after having a week of homemade food HOWL to the women’s basketball team being on a four-game win streak GROWL to mass shootings HOWL to the holiday season GROWL to running out of Wolfbucks before finals week again HOWL to Sneaux

EDITORIAL BOARD Mary Graci

Editor-in-Chief

Emily Branan

Managing Editor

Rebeca Trejo

Managing Editor

for Print for Electronic Properties Naasha Dotiwala Zach Brien Kristen Stewart Lauren Saizan Gabe Garza Starlight Williams

Design Chief Photo Editor News Editor Worldview Editor Wolf Editor Life and Times Editor The Works Editor

Zayn Abidin

Religion Editor

Mark Robinson

Sports Editor

Gage Counts

Opinion and Editorial Editor

Raymond Price

Maroon Minute Executive Producer

Lawson Box

KRISTEN STEWART / The Maroon

Senior Staff Writer

Copy Editor

EDITORIAL POLICY The editorial on this page represents the majority opinions of The Maroon’s editorial board and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Loyola University. Letters and columns reflect the opinions of the authors and not necessarily those of The Maroon’s editorial board. The Maroon does not represent the opinion of administration, staff, and/or faculty members of Loyola. Letters are subject to editing for length, grammar and style. Please limit submissions to 400 words. Submissions are due no later than 4 p.m. the Sunday before publication. Please send all submissions — The Maroon, 6363 St. Charles Ave., Box 64, New Orleans, LA 70118. Email us your letters — letter@ loyno.edu. Submissions may also be made online at www.loyolamaroon.com.

In the wake of the campus protests on race sweeping across the nation, Loyola’s Black Student Union, the L.O.V.E Chapter of the National Association of Colored Women’s Clubs and Brothers for Progress, created a set of demands for the Rev. Kevin Wildes, S.J. to accept. While student activism is praiseworthy, the jump to these demands, and threats to cause student unrest, are unfair. For many, these demands came out of nowhere. Loyola has been named by The Princeton Review as the second best college in the United States for race and class interaction. Our university can boast that 39 percent of its student body are members of ethnic minorities. This isn’t to say that there isn’t any racism in academia, nor is it to say that the concerns presented in the petition are wrong or unfounded. It is only to say that there should be a more robust dialogue about race issues before protests begin. Racism should be unequivocally and universally opposed by anyone who values justice. While opposition to racism is virtuous and just, threatening to cause student unrest without having a dialogue about the issues is not.

After returning from the Thanksgiving break, Wildes sent an email to all students saying that he met with the authors of the petition to discuss their concerns with him. As The Maroon previously editorialized, when faced by a group of students who claim they feel uncomfortable about a situation, the University President should seriously consider their concerns. Wildes was quick to do this, which demonstrates that our univeristy is committed to the cause of justice. Loyola offers the perfect environment to have a meaningful conversation about race issues. There hasn’t yet been a campus-wide conversation about systemic racism on campus. Petitions and protests are for when the conversation fails. They should not preclude conversation, and can’t serve as a substitute for conversation. Now is the time to open a dialogue on race issues. The administrators are willing to have that dialogue, and the student body is aware that many of us feel uncomfortable. We should go forward to discuss and confront the issue in a new and more meaningful way.

OPINION

December 4, 2015 The Maroon

editorial Cartoon

ED SHENEMAN / MCT Campus

In My Opinion Students sharing their opinions

Check out of your dorm problem-free Kristen Stewart mass communication junior knstewar@loyno.edu

It’s no secret that any student who lives on campus cannot stay in their residence halls during winter break. It’s also not a secret that residents must check out with their Resident Assistant before they leave for winter break. Before you lock your doors for the last time for 2015, here are some tips to make your checkout a lot faster and easier, for both you and your RA.

Just like any student, RAs and faculty would like to leave and start their holiday as fast as possible, so preparing your room to avoid maintenance charges or documentation helps smooth out the process, especially if you’re trying to make a flight. The charges are not in place because Residential Life wants to make your time living on campus difficult. There are charges because we want to keep the residence halls in the best condition as possible so you can continue to live comfortably and keep it nice for the next person who moves in. That being said, if there’s a maintenance issue in your room, tell your RA or submit a work order. This includes anything that is broken, damaged, or has stopped working in

your room. If something is damaged and it has not been reported, then you will take responsibility for that damage. It’s not a good feeling to charge someone for something that they were not responsible for, so before you leave, take a look around your room and see if anything needs to be fixed. Remember — your room is one of many to be checked by the RA before they head out for break too. Please do your best to be prepared for your check-out time so the process is efficient. Please clean your room before you check out! Your parents will be proud and your RA will be grateful. You can be documented for a messy room if it is a perceived health and safety violation.

When thinking about checking out, a good rule of thumb is to plan your checkout time about an hour before you plan on leaving, again, especially if you’re trying to make it to the airport. This leaves a good amount of time to clean up anything that might seem unsatisfactory or allow time to fill out any paperwork. A common question that is asked around this time is “do I need to pack up my whole room before I leave?” The answer is no, but be sure it’s nice and clean for when you come back. You must check out with your RA 24 hours after your last final or no later than 5 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 18. That’s when the residence halls close and your ID will be deactivated. When we walk through the

building, we look for anybody who may have stayed past the checkout time. If you do stay past that time without approval from your CD, you may be charged a late-stay fee. It’s not fun to have to kick someone out of their room last minute. Check and double check that you have everything because there’s a slim-to-none chance that you will be let back into the building before we come back from break. During break, you are not allowed to return to the building, so make sure you have everything with you. We can’t wait to have you back though! You are allowed to return to the residential halls on Monday, Jan. 18, at 8 a.m.! Make sure your checkout is a start to a wonderful break!

Construction is vital to New Orleans... just not all at once Gabriel Garza mass communication senior jggarza@loyno.edu

New Orleans is well known for its aging infrastructure from crooked sidewalks, potholes in the streets and construction that can block off an entire road. I have been commuting to Loyola for the past year — since I’ve been a junior — and I have hated every

single instance where I have had to detour my route to school because of construction. One sign of progress for the city’s infrastructure has been Mayor Mitch Landrieu’s commitment to fixing the aging streets in New Orleans during his term as mayor. On November 30, Landrieu announced a new group called the Fix My Street Financing Working Group. “From budget meetings to the Fix My Streets campaign, we have heard from our residents loud and clear that street repairs are one of their top priorities. Repairing and improving our city’s aging infrastructure is absolutely essential to New Orleans’

long-term growth and success,” Landrieu said in a press conference. When I have class at 8 a.m., I have to leave my house 30 minutes ahead of time just to guarantee that I will arrive to class on time. I live 12 blocks away from campus. There have been multiple occasions where I have arrived late to class, missed quizzes and been marked absent due to construction on my route to school. I fully agree that construction is a benefit to the city because it provides jobs to hard working contractors and construction workers. However, the negative aspect of all this construction is that it all occurs

at the same time. If the city could spread out over the course of a year the different construction projects instead of having it all done at once, that might satisfy my anger at the city’s infrastructure. The fact that driving in the city of New Orleans is more hazardous than riding a bike is incomprehensible. There have been multiple occasions where potholes have left my car in desperate need of an auto repair, which can cost hundreds of dollars. This has led me to heavily consider buying a bike so I can ride to campus instead of driving my car. Over my years at Loyola, I cannot remember a time when Jefferson

Street and Napoleon Avenue were not under construction. Even prior to Hurricane Katrina, about onethird of the city’s streets were rated in fair or worse condition according to the Mayor’s office. The estimate for the road repairs are at $9.3 billion with $7 million of that money going to pave each mile of the city’s minor streets. With the amount of money that the city is willing to spend on a longterm solution for the city’s poorly degraded roads, all I hope for is that the newly repaved roads will be as smooth as a scene out of the Pixar movie Cars.

The Maroon

December 4, 2015

Campus reported asbestos-free By Kristen Stewart knstewar@loyno.edu @Kstewart818

With the age of some buildings on campus, such as Marquette and Bobet Halls, comes some concern about asbestos. Thomas Raymond, assistant vice president for administration, initially submitted an advertisement in a previous issue of The Maroon alerting the campus of the Asbestos Compliance Act. According to the Environmental Regulatory Code, the Asbestos Compliance Act is the identification, management and abatement of asbestos containing materials in schools and state buildings that may pose an unreasonable risk to students, school personnel and

the public. This is used to describe the regulation in Louisiana schools from the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality. According to Raymond, Loyola has been in compliance with this act since it was founded and has been modified throughout the years. As for whether asbestos should be a concern on Loyola’s campus, Raymond said there is nothing to be worried about. “Asbestos was a commonly used building material when some of the buildings on our campus were constructed. In its undisturbed state, asbestos poses no problems or health risks,” Raymond said. “We have removed asbestos-containing material in some buildings as they were renovated and in parts of buildings during partial renovations.”

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Sneaux to fall on Loyola’s campus

LINDA HEXTER / The Maroon

Loyola will ring in the Christmas season with its annual Sneaux, which will feature hot chocolate, free t-shirts and a performance from the local Stuart Hall boys choir. Also at the event will be s’mores, photos with Santa and a performance by Loyola’s Birdz n’ Beatz a cappella group. Ten tons of fake snow will cover Loyola’s Marquette Horseshoe on Wednesday, Dec. 9, and the festivities will begin at 6 p.m.

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CONTINUED: Faculty question leadership Altschul said that he would like to see open conversation about leadership and the direction of the university come out of the whole voting process. “The faculty are seeking some open and transparent dialogue on how the leadership is going to get us through the next five to 10 years, and also whether the right leadership is in place to see that through,”

Altschul said. Underwood also said that she hopes this conversation initiates the spark to more conversation on university issues. “I would like the greater Loyola community to be more involved. I want faculty and staff to be aware and informed about the problems,” Underwood said. Gage Counts contributed to this article.

CONTINUED: Wildes reacts to student petition As for faculty, Courtney Williams, associate director for student involvement, is pleased that the administration is taking a step in this direction. With the CDO, he would also like to see a national office of institutional equity on campus. “That office would work with different faculty across the univer-

sity, primary faculty and academic affairs. It would make sure that university faculty and staff look more like students,” Williams said. As for the demands that were initially implemented, Kelly wants the stud body to know that these were made with every racial and ethnic background in mind.

“This petition wasn’t just for black students. For this petition, those demands had stuff for all students. This petition is about improving diversity and multiculturalism across the entire campus and that helps build a stronger, more diverse, and more inclusive campus,” Kelly said.